Global Catholic Radio Conference expecting record crowd

The Catholic Radio Association and EWTN will be hosting the annual Global Catholic Radio Conference in Birmingham, Ala next month. Organizers say that this year's event will already have a larger attendance than any previous conference.

The October 14-17 gathering will include a visit to EWTN's radio mountain, a day-long retreat led by Fr. Mitch Pacwa, a keynote speech by Archbishop Michael Sheehan of Santa Fe, New Mexico and workshops on improving radio show production. Participants will also have an opportunity to pose questions to Kelly Donohue from the Federal Communications Commission.

Stephen Gajdosik, the president of the Catholic Radio Association (CRA), told CNA that this year's gathering “will be our largest conference yet. In pre-registrations we’ve already far surpassed last year’s attendance.”

Commenting on the record crowd, Gajdosik said, “I think that is an indicator of the life and grace active within Catholic radio. We’re adding listeners and stations every month. They, in turn, are leaven within the culture. Praised be Jesus Christ!”

He also commented on the rapid growth of Catholic radio around the country, saying, “[t]he signals from our member stations already reach over 150 million souls with several more stations on the way by year’s end.”

The CRA also hopes that its goal of using Catholic radio to put listeners in touch with apostolates that fit their specific needs or gifts is achieved at the conference. Gajdosik told CNA that he hopes that various “evangelization apostolates will come and learn how they can leverage their work through radio.”